Locomotive cab supporting means



June 8, 1943.

G. D. SPRANKLE LOCOMOTIVE CAB SUPPORTING MEANS Filed Feb. 14, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 8, 1943.

G'. D. SPRANKLE y LocoMoTIvE CAB SUPPORTING MEANS Filed Feb. 14, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS.

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Patented June 8, 1943 LOCOMOTIV CAB SUPPORTING MEANS George D. Sprankle, Lowerv Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pa., assignor to The Pennsylvania .Railroad Com a corporation of Penns pany, Philadelphia, Pa., ylvania Application February 14, 1942, Serial No. 430,867

8 Claims.

This invention relates to supporting means for thel engineers cabs of locomotives, particularly steam locomotives. 2

Heretofore it has been the common practice to 'mount the engineers cabs for support in their entirety by the toner of the locomotives with resultant imposition upon the boiler of the added strains due to cab weight.

Amongst the aims of my invention is to obviate lthe drawback just referred to, i. e. to make it possible to support part of the weight of the cabs independently of the boilers and yet have them move with the boilers as the latter expand and 'contract lengthwise under the influence of ther- 'mal changes.

In connection with cab supporting means -having the above attributes it is a further aim of `my invention to provide for the ready and quick attachment of the cabs as units to or from the 'locomotives f Other objects and attendant advantages will Lappear from the following detailed description of the attached drawings, whereof Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view of a locomotive partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal .section with cab supporting and attaching means iconveniently embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary broken-out horizontal sectional view taken as indicated by the arrows IIe-II in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary broken-out transverse section taken as indicated by the angled arrows l III-III in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail sectional view on a larger scale taken as indicated by the arrows IV-IV in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the component elements of my improved cab supporting means.

With more detailed reference to these illustrations, the numeral I designates portions of the laterally spaced top longitudinals of the locomotive frame which may be of any approved construction; while the rear end of the boiler is shown at 2, and the engineers cab at 3. In order to allow for expansion and contraction incident to thermal variations, the rear end of the boiler 2 is supported, after customary practice, by pads 4 which are slidable along the tops of the frame longitudinals I, said pads having upstanding .f

transverse web projections 5 whereto pendent lugs 6 on the mud ring (not indicated) of the boiler are made fast by means of screw bolts 1.

The skeleton frame of the cab 3 in the illustrated instance includes a pair of longitudinally spaced transverse arch members or ribs 8 and 9 of structural steel angle bar stock whereto is secured a sheet metal shell I0 which provides the side walls II and the roof I2 of the cab 3. From Figs. 1 and 3 it will be noted that the ribs 8 and 9 are connected at their bottom ends by longitudinally extending angle bars I3 and at their tops by angle bars I4 which latter are symmetrically spaced with respect to the vertical longitudinal central plane of the locomotive. It will moreover be observed from Figs. 1 and 2 that the side portions of the rear rib 9 are joined by a crosswise angle bar I5. To the front rib 8 is secured a transverse wall sheet I6 whereof the inner edge Lis conformative with the cross sectional configuration of the boiler in the planeof said sheet and reinforced by a correspondingly shaped stiftening strip I1. To the rib S is secured the rear wall sheet I8 of the cab. The side portions II and the top lI2 of the cab shell I ll extend forwardly somewhat beyond the front wall sheet I5 and are suitably fashioned to correspond with the shape of the boiler as shown in Fig. l; and a supplemental wall sheet I9 is employed at the forwardly projecting portion of the shell to close in the interval between it and the boiler shell. Secured in turn to the longitudinal and crosswise angle bars I3'and I5. of the cab frame is a floor sheet 2l), which, see Fig. 2, is likewise suitably cut .tour of the boiler.

out to fit the con- The various parts of the cab structure are permanently incorporated into a unit preferably by welding, although, if desired, rivets may be employed for this purpose.

To support the cab from beneath in accordance with my invention the boiler pads 4 are provided with upstanding nn projections 2l which extend at right angles to the transverse fins 5. To these longitudinal iin projections 2| are secured, by means of plural screw bolts 22, rearward cantilever extensions 23 which, in this instance are of composite construction, comprising vertical webs 24 of sheet metal and angle strips 25 which are secured along opposite sides of the top edges of said webs, preferably by welding. From Figs. 1

and 3 it will be noted that the cab bottomrests directly upon the cantilever extensions 23 of the pads 4 whereto it is secured by means of bolts 26. It will thus be seen that part of the weight of the cab is supported by the pads 4 independently of the boiler 2. For the purpose of anchoring the cab at the front wall sheet I6 lug brackets 21 are secured to the boiler shell 2a at suitable intervals around the latter, said brackets being fashioned from heavy bar metal with offsets, see Fig. 4 to clear the boiler rivets 28. Also as shown in Fig.

4, the stiffening strip I1 and the outwardly projecting ends 21a of the lug brackets 21 are provided with registering apertures for passage of securing bolts 29.

Due to being secured to the cantilever extensions 23 on the pads ll, it will be apparent from the foregoing that part of the weight of the cab 3 is supported independently of the boiler 2 so that the latter is immune from strains due to such weight. At the same time, however, the cab is moved with the boiler as said boiler expands and contracts lengthwise, as is desirable. Moreover, by constructing the cab and mounting it in the way herein shown and described, it can be readily and quickly detached simply by removing the bolts 26, 29 and 31, and as easily placed initially.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a locomotive, a boiler and a cab; and means for supporting the boiler with capacity to shift on the frame as it expands and contracts, and means forsupporting part of the weight of the cab from the frame independentlycf said boiler.

2. In a locomotive, a frame with a pair of laterally spaced top longitudinals; a horizontal boiler and a cab; and pads for supporti-ng one end of the boiler on the frame longitudnals with capacity to shift as the boiler expands and contracts, and means for supporting part of the weight of the cab from the frame independently of the boiler.

3. In a locomotive, a frame with a pair of laterally spaced top longitudinals; a horizontal boiler and a cab; and pads for supporting the rear end of the boiler on the frame longitudinals with capacity to shift as the boiler expands and contracts, said pads having rearward longitudinal extensions for supporting part of the weight of the cab from the frame independently of the boiler.

4. In a locomotive, a frame with a pair of laterally spaced top longitudinals; a horizontal boiler and a cab; and means for supporting the rear end of the boiler with capacity to shift incident to expansion and contraction, a-nd for supporting part of the weight of the cab from the frame independently of the boiler, said means including pads which are slidable on the frame 1onfgitudinals andl rearwardly extending cantilever arms separately secured to the pads to underreach the cab and joined by a crosswise extending connecting member.

5. The invention according to claim 4, in which each cantilever arm is of composite construction, having a vertical plate web and stiiening angle bars attached along the top edge of said web.

6. In a locomotive, a frame; a horizontal boiler; a cab with a frontal wall extending crosswise over the top and down the opposite sides of the boiler adjacent the rear end of the latter and having its inner edge shaped to fit the cross sectional configuration of the boiler, a transverse wall rearward of the boiler, and an enveloping wall and roof sheet connected to said front and rear walls; means for supporting the rear end of the boiler with capacity to shift on the locomotive frame as it expands and contracts, and for supporting part of the weight of the cab from beneath from the frame independently of the boiler; and means for securing the front wall of the cab along its inner edge to the shell of the boiler.

'1. In a locomotive, a frame; a horizontal boiler; a cab unit with a frontal rib extending over the top and downward of the sides of the boiler adjacent the rear end of the latter, a rib rearward of the boiler end, longitudinal side bars connecting the lower ends of the two ribs and a crosswise bar connecting the lower ends of the rear rib, front and rear wall sheets and an enveloping side wall and roof shell attached to said ribs, and a floor sheet connected to said side and cross bars, said front wall sheet having its inner edge shaped to t the cross sectional conguration of the boiler; means for supporting the rear end ofthe boiler with capacity to shift on the locomotive frame as it expands and contracts, and for supporting part of the weight of the cab from beneath from the frame independently of the boiler; means for detachably securing the iloor portion of the cab to the support; and means vfor detachably securing the front wall of the cab along its inner edge to the shell of the boiler.

8. The invention according to claim '7, in which the front wall securing means includes lugs'which are attached at intervals around the boiler shell, and screw bolts which pass through said lugs and the inner edge of said front wall.

GEORGE D. SPRANKLE. 

